Homestead mailing list

[Tim Oppenheim <timopp AT gmail.com>]

Gloria,

I agree with everything that you say, the big issue here is that email in of  
itself is not very private at all. Whether it's stored on your computer or 
somewhere else it is generally sent clear text. The nature of the Internet is 
such that the bit and drabs of your message are send out in pieces finding 
the best route among millions of servers and computers. It is trivially easy 
to grab these packets from the air and read what they say. I will add getting 
your particular ones is a might harder, but not even slightly un-doable.

To your computer from wherever a message originates servers keeps gobs and 
gobs of caches and logs. Not to mention that creepy guy down the street on 
the same physical circuit as your cable modem.

The essence is don't assume for a second that whatever you email is safe from 
prying eyes. It's always best to foment revolution in person ; ).

But please look at PGP ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy ) 
and it's kind if you want some assurances.

Tim.

Caveat: Dear Echelon; I only mention revolution for illustrative purposes 
only--Tim


On Feb 21, 2010, at 12:55 PM, EarthNSky wrote:

> Here, here...
> 
> Gloria Morris wrote:
>> On 2/21/2010 12:53 AM, EarthNSky wrote:
>>>  The Gmail portion is operating wonderfully
>>> under Thunderbird, but I need to log back on to the website and see if
>>> it is storing mail like the problem Glo has.  I don't like webmail
>>> because of security....not that I have that much to hide, but it is the
>>> principle of the matter.  Can anyone help with this password thing?
>>> 
>>> 
>> It is odd how those of us who do not care for the concept that others 
>> can potentially read our email have to defend ourselves in online 
>> discussions. It should never be necessary to apologetically say "I have 
>> nothing to hide" when mentioning a concern about privacy issues. But it 
>> is. Because in almost every on-line conversation about privacy, if 
>> anyone mentions a concern, in most forums there is a very high 
>> likelihood that someone will say "I'm not worried about what Google <or 
>> insert other entity, including the government> has on me because I HAVE 
>> NOTHING TO HIDE." The inference is that anyone who gives a rat's ass 
>> about privacy must be a criminal or have something to hide. Our society 
>> has gone from valuing individual freedom (and privacy) to practically 
>> demanding full body searches of innocent people in order to fly on an 
>> airline in the name of safety, and to fully accepting that our entire 
>> identities should be openly entrusted to a corporate entity or to the 
>> government.
>> 
>> I still like the motto "Live Free or Die!" Over the course of my 
>> lifetime, I have watched the steady erosion of both privacy and 
>> individual freedom. People have been slowly conditioned not to care 
>> about personal freedom or privacy any longer. Sad but true.
>> 
>> I don't feel we should apologize for not wanting someone reading our 
>> mail, whether snail or e. Who would feel comfortable seeing someone 
>> reading their mail out of their mailbox along the road? Even if they 
>> have nothing to hide? If it is no big deal, then why would that action 
>> be a federal crime? How is it any different with email? Nowadays, more 
>> business is conducted via email than snail mail. Many things which are 
>> of a private nature are dealt with online. And yet with email, a hacker 
>> or errant Google employee could access yours without your ever seeing 
>> them rummaging through your virtual mail box. Concern for privacy, in my 
>> mind anyway, is not a sign of a criminal mind, scheming to hide dark 
>> secrets, but a matter of prudence.
>> 
>> Gloria
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Homestead list and subscription:
>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
>> Change your homestead list member options:
>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/erthnsky%40bellsouth.net
>> View the archives at:
>> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> 
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>> Version: 8.5.435 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2693 - Release Date: 02/17/10 
>> 07:35:00
>> 
> 
> -- 
> Many of our greatest American thinkers, men of the caliber of Thomas 
> Jefferson, Henry Thoreau, Mark Twain, William James, and John Muir, have 
> found the forest an effective stimulus to original thought.
> Bob Marshall
> _______________________________________________
> Homestead list and subscription:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
> Change your homestead list member options:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/timopp%40gmail.com
> View the archives at:
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead
> 
>